Why sikhs keep hair

Some Sikhs may cut their hair, but that does not exclude them from the Sikh community. Initiated Sikhs are not supposed to cut hair from any part of their body. All Sikhs, men and women are thus supposed to have unshorn hair and remain unshaved. Sikhs can wear any color or style of turban, and there are no significant colors. Some Sikhs wear very few colors and others have a broad color palette. If you see someone wearing a turban and you are not sure if they are Sikh or not, ask them!

The Sikh turban is a mandatory article of faith. People of many other cultures and religions wear turbans, but none are required to do so by their religion. Sikhs tie their turbans anew each day. Just like observant Sikh men, observant Sikh women are not supposed to cut their hair.

In the Rehat Maryada, it is explicitly written that Sikh men wear a turban. There is nothing explicitly written about women, except that the turban is optional. There are many reasons for this change: globalization, cultural trends, and a lack of clarity in the Rehat Maryada. For Sikh women who choose to tie a turban, the turban is just as much a part of their body and identity as it is for Sikh men! A kirpan does not have a prescribed length.

In most cases it is about inches long. The kirpan serves as a reminder to fight against injustice and oppression. A Sikh understands that carrying a kirpan is a great responsibility. It is only intended to protect themselves or others. Some school aged children have made the commitment to become an initiated Sikh, and as such do wear a kirpan.

Generally, school personnel are aware that the Sikh student wears a kirpan, and both parties have come to an understanding about the religious significance and purpose of the kirpan.

At the present time, Sikhs put their kirpans into checked-in luggage and do not carry it with them on an airplane. Everyone is welcome at a Gurdwara regardless of their race, religion, color, or class. If you are interested in visiting a Gurdwara, feel free to reach out to Sikhs you know or contact community sikhcoalition. The Sikh Gurus were very clear about each Sikh making their own spiritual journey directly and not depending on an intermediary or clergy.

These are people who have studied the Sikh scriptures extensively, and are available in the Gurdwaras as teachers. They often lead a congregation, but any members from the congregation — regardless of gender — can also perform the same ceremonies.

A woman can lead or take part in any service or ceremony just as a man would. Sikh Gurus always taught equality between men and women. For instance, the Gurus decried the cultural climate that denied women access to religion and advocated strongly for women to have equal rights as men in all spheres.

In some Sikh congregations, men and women sit side-by-side as equals — women on one side of the Guru Granth Sahib, and men on the other. It is important to note that men and women are still in equal proximity of the Guru Granth Sahib. There are both practical and cultural reasons for this practice. Since everyone sits on the floor, often unintentionally touching the person next to them when there is a large congregation can occur.

Having such interactions with the members of the opposite gender can make an individual uncomfortable. However, in some Gurdwaras, men and women may be seen sitting mixed in the congregation. The Sikh Gurus instituted the unique practice of Langar. Langar is food that is cooked by the members of the community and served to all people at the Gurdwara.

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A Christian Science Perspective. Monitor Movie Guide. Monitor Daily. Photo Galleries. About Us. Get stories that empower and uplift daily. See our other FREE newsletters. The turban and hair became an identity marker, which made people easily identified as Sikh so people were able to uphold their faith.

It also forces people to be held up to a higher standard. Thus, you not only have the pressure of living up to yourself but you also have to live up to your religion everywhere you go. Guru Gobind Singh also asked people to begin wearing the turban, something Sikhs had already begun to do, in an attempt to mimic the Gurus styles.

The turban was chosen because at the time they were a symbol of aristocracy, and allowing women and lower-caste people to wear it aimed to abolish the structure within itself. Then, why is it that most Sikh women do not wear the turban?

Technically, we should be wearing them too. Of course, people practice religion to whatever extent their comfortable with.

The way kes is performed for Sikh women is currently heavily influenced by patriarchy. The ideal Sikh woman for most Sikhs of course this varies , is one who keeps the hair on her head but still removes facial and body hair.

On the other hand, women who chose to keep their body hair or choose to wear the turban are seen as masculine and not fit for marriage. Both visions are tied to sexuality and gender appearance. Because if it was about Sikhism, people would not be dissuading their daughters from taking Amrit and wearing a turban. The ideal Sikh woman for most Sikhs, is one who keeps the hair on her head but still removes facial and body hair. That being said, I still wax my legs and underarms and occasionally thread my upper lip.

Where does Sikhism fall in that? It has not been easy for me, with lots of weird hostility and strange questions from non-Sikhs.

But, I do not have to face as much hostility from my family, as they all perform Kes in the same ways I do, even if not for the same reasons. In this way, I know I almost have the ideal Sikh practice. Yet when I refuse to pluck my eyebrows or wax my arms I am literally bullied about not doing it from a variety of different women in my family.

Many Amritdhari baptized women who wear a turban are regulated for wearing revealing clothes because they have made this choice to become baptized despite the fact that people are okay with Amritdhari men walking around in shorts.

Women who chose to keep their body hair or choose to wear the turban are seen as masculine and not fit for marriage. Amritdhari Sikh woman Harnaam Kaur, who is based in the UK has been very popular on social media recently because of her body positivity. But I wanted to make my own decisions and live for myself — not anyone else. Here the gaze of patriarchy on Sikh women is dictating both acceptable and not acceptable hair practices.

What is our practice if we only look at our presentation through this heterosexual male gaze? And how does the equalizing tradition of Sikhism work through this lens?

More important values of Sikhism are Wand ke Chako help people in need , Naam Japo remember God , Kirat Karo earn an honest living , which is not related to keeping your hair.

You can be a good person and cut your hair, and you can be a terrible one and keep it. You cannot be too morally loose, and you cannot be too masculine.